The Legendary Uzumaki
by Atlas Dragonslayer
Summary: Dealing with S-ranked criminals and flirting with Kunoichi was easy. But managing a genin team? Naruto Uzumaki might have just met his match. Features a Naruto three years older than canon, with a little more brains, power, and appreciation for the opposite sex. Rated M for a reason.
1. Chapter 1

The Legendary Uzumaki

 **Author's Note/Disclaimer: I wrote this a few months back out of boredom, but never got around to uploading it. In this fic, Naruto will be three years older than in canon, with a background history that will be explained as the story progresses. Rated M for violence, swearing, sexual situations, and nudity. Oh, and I don't own Naruto. Kills me every time to say it…**

Chapter 1: Genin Team

(Uzumaki Homestead, just outside of Kuroshe, 125 kilometers south of Konohagakure, Land of Fire)

He raised the axe high over his head, the sharpened edge glinting in the early morning sun. With a combination of gravity and his strength, the piece of wood situated atop an old tree stomp stood no chance and split in half. The split pieces of wood went flying, landing several meters away into separate piles of cut wood. The piles were large, comprising of thousands of pieces of cut wood, a great indication of the rigorous work the young man had been performing for the last few hours. He made to grab another large piece of wood, intent on continuing his chore, but found that none remained. He had, unknowingly, finished off the entire amount of uncut wood. Grinning in satisfaction, the young man embedded the axe blade deep into the worn stump and wiped the sweat from his brow. He surveyed the two massive piles of wood, noting that he could make quite a bit of ryo selling it at the village market, with plenty left over for his own use.

Leaving the piles of wood to bake in the warm sun, the young man walked toward a wooden gate framed by a wooden fence, which extended over fifty meters in the east and west direction before forming a square that encompassed a large area. Inside the wooden fence was a variety of different crops, from tomatoes to cucumbers to small plum trees. The young man's eyes scanned the various crops, looking for any signs of insect damage or plant disease. Seeing none, the young man reached a hand over the fence and pulled a ripened plum from a small tree. The plum crunched under his teeth and an explosion of sweetness assaulted his taste buds. There was still a hint of bitterness, so he decided to wait one more week before harvesting a batch to sell at the market. He could already imagine the happy faces of villagers when they discovered he produced another batch. The produce he grew was legendary throughout the countryside for being the best, so much so that the name Uzumaki became synonymous with healthy and great-tasting fruit and vegetables. It made him smile, for a few years ago his name was only followed by words of awe or fear.

As he made his way to his house, the young man passed a small pond, which seemed to sparkle in the morning sun. He gazed at the shining surface, spotting tadpoles and tiny fish mingling among the tall grass sticking out of the dampened and flooded banks. His reflection showed a very handsome face, complete with three whisker-like marks on each cheek and a mop of spiky blond hair that refused to be tamed. His blue eyes shimmered in the reflecting surface, almost blending with the bluish surface of the water. On his left temple was a scar, a jagged cut that trailed down several centimeters. He absentmindedly touched the scar, the memory of receiving the painful injury causing him to cringe. The young man remembered quite vividly the feeling of his enemy's blade barely missing his left eye, slicing through his skin at great speeds. He inflicted ten times the damage to his unfortunate foe, but the fact that his opponent managed to even scratch him was a testament to his foe's prowess. Still, he obviously came out on top, and he doubted there was any person alive that could take him…

He stopped his musings as he sensed two people approaching the gates to his house, not far from the main road. They were civilians, if the miniscule chakra reserves were any indication. He ruled out shinobi using a suppressor technique, for no one on this planet could hide their chakra signatures from his keen senses. Through the earth, he could feel their footsteps. They were heavy and imprecise, a far cry from the trained movements of an assassin. His sharp ears could make out the ruffle of heavy clothes, meaning they were either nobility or men of great wealth. Even on the other side of his property, small details such as their heartbeats and breathing were known to him, and he could tell that the morning heat was bothering them. _'So, not ones for outdoor activity. Most certainly not shinobi.'_ He sighed. Shinobi were easier to deal with, for they were wise enough to stay away once he flared his chakra, or he could simply beat them to a bloody pulp. Civilians were more complicated, for he didn't feel right fighting an untrained and vastly weaker opponent. Plus, it didn't go well with the local community when a shinobi killed a civilian. It was just bad for the reputation of ninja, and the trained shinobi in him felt obliged to obey the unwritten code of honor. That meant he had to resort to his words. _'Well, here goes nothing…'_

He applied chakra to his legs and jumped high into the air, clear over his house. He took a moment to enjoy the rush of wind in his hair, his natural element bathing him with power. Only those connected with nature chakra could absorb energy from their natural element, and he was one of the few. The winds obeyed his every command, carrying him across the lower sky effortlessly. With a graceful flip, the young man descended toward the ground at a fast rate. Before he could hit the ground, the air beneath him manipulated to his will, cushioning his fall greatly. He landed with a silent thud behind the two men at the gate, going unnoticed by them entirely. One was busy trying to work the latch on the gate, not knowing that only those keyed to the seal on the gate could ever hope to open it. The other one seemed to take great humor in his partner's inability to open the gate, openly laughing.

"Damn thing! Stupid rusty old gate…"

"The gate looks in good shape to me, Satoshi. Maybe you should…"

"Shut up! The damn latch won't budge. What kind of landowner doesn't maintain his property?"

"Uh, that would be this landowner, right here," The young man said, announcing his presence. The two men jumped and spun around, their eyes landing on him. The loud one, Satoshi, narrowed his eyes at him, while the other one's eyes seemed to widen, as if in recognition. _'Ah, so at least one of them has brains.'_ Their appearance immediately ruled out nobility, so that only left wealthy. "So, what's a couple of businessmen doing at the gates of my property?"

"You…how did you…?" Satoshi, a man with graying hair and a goatee, stuttered. He quickly composed himself and set a glare on the young blond. "So, you're the owner of this property? I hate to inform you, but your gate doesn't seem to work."

"Uh…Satoshi? That's…"

"Quiet, Ren. You're gat-"

"Works just fine," The blond said, easily lifting up the latch. Satoshi stared, unbelieving as the young man effortlessly opened the gate. The blond man grinned, as did Ren. "See? You just have to have the right touch. Walk with me, gentlemen?" The blond motioned for them and they followed him through the gate. "May I enquire as to why you are here?"

"We are here to collect a debt! And we are not leaving until we receive all that we are owed!" Satoshi declared, puffin up his chest.

"Be polite, Satoshi," Ren, a large man with brown hair and clean-shaven, scolded. He bowed to the young blond. "My apologies. My friend here can be…well, rude. We are here to receive information regarding a debt, a debt over fifteen years old."

The young man cocked his head to the side curiously.

"Debt? I don't believe I have any debt."

Ren chuckled.

"Not you, landowner-san. Some of our contacts have informed us you know the whereabouts of Tsunade Senju, a most respected kunoichi of this great country. She borrowed around five hundred thousand ryo from our employer around fifteen years ago, with the promise she would pay back eight hundred thousand within five years. Obviously, it has been longer than five years, and our employer hasn't received a single payment. Now, if you know where she is, could you kindly point us in her direction? If she needs to setup a viable payment plan, then we could work something-"

"You're too kind, Ren," Satoshi interrupted. "She pays in full the moment we see her. She has avoided payment too long. It's time for her to pay up."

"Satoshi…"

"And you, landowner. Tell us where she is right now!" The loud man demanded, pointing a finger at the young man.

Ren's eyes widened and he hastily pulled his partner's arm down.

"Satoshi, do you have any idea who this is?"

"I don't care! He could be the Daimyo for all I care! I-" He felt a sudden weight on his shoulders, as if the air around him became heavy. He gasped for breath and nearly collapsed, but the weight soon lifted as though it was never there. "What was…?"

"Watch your mouth when speaking of the Daimyo, Satoshi-san. He is a great man and I will not have you disrespecting his name in my presence," The young blond said, his eyes narrowing at the pathetic form of the man, who was still gasping for air. "All better? Now, Ren-san will do all the talking. He seems to be the levelheaded one of you two. You, stay silent unless I speak to you." His tone left little room for argument and the man nodded quickly. "Now, Ren-san, you were saying?"

"My apologies again, landowner-san. My partner here does not realize the important figure that stands before us." Though he kept silent, Satoshi shot Ren a question look. "And he obviously knows nothing of the shinobi of this country. We are in the presence of Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, widely regarded as one of the most powerful shinobi to have ever lived, the man who saved this country from destruction." Satoshi's eyes widened considerably, and he seemed less confident in the presence of this great man. "Now, as I was saying earlier, Naruto-sama…"

"Just 'Naruto' is fine, Ren-san. I never was one for honorifics," The young man, now identified as Naruto, said sheepishly. Even after years of dealing with awe-struck people, he still wasn't used to being addressed as a master of anything or anybody.

"If you insist, Naruto-san. Though I will admit, I am slightly uncomfortable addressing you in such an informal manner," Ren replied, smiling shyly. "Our employer has been pressing us to pursue this debt. I have tried mediating on behalf of Tsunade-sama. I do not know her personally, but she treated my mother for a bad case of blood lung a few decades ago and saved her life. I am forever indebted to her for her generosity, but I'm endanger of being fired if I don't collect this debt. I have three kids, Naruto-san, and I can hardly afford to be without a job. Though it pains me to do so, we need to speak with Tsunade-sama urgently. I can negotiate a payment plan which can be reasonable. It is not my intention to bankrupt Tsunade-sama."

Naruto scratched at the stubble growing at his chin.

"Well, that is a problem. Eight hundred thousand? Tsunade, Tsunade…" It still amazed him to hear the amount of debt she acquired over the years before he met her. "Well, she isn't here at the moment. I believe she is treating someone a few kilometers away from here, just to the west. Though she should be back here very soon."

"That's excellent, Naruto-san. Does Tsunade-sama live here?" He enquired.

"Well, it wouldn't make sense if she didn't, Ren-san."

"Why is that, Naruto-san?"

A massive grin, reminiscent of a certain fox, spread across the young man's face.

"Well, a wife normally lives with her husband, right?"

(Thirteen Years Earlier, Konohagakure, Land of Fire)

"Late again, Kakashi?" Naruto asked, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned against a tree. The sixteen-year-old blond, wearing proudly a Konoha headband and a jounin flak jacket, glared at the silver-haired ninja as the man scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I told you to meet me here at noon…it's two!"

"Sorry about that, Naruto. A beautiful brunette stumbled into my arms screaming about her poor cat. After calming her down, I found her cat trapped on the tallest branch of the tallest tree in the neighborhood. Naturally, I climbed the tree and rescued the cat. She was so thankful for my helpful aid that she cooked me a lunch fit for a daimyo. After finishing off this fantastic meal, she took me to her bedroom and I showed her-"

"Okay, okay! I get it!"

"-how to properly change the cat's litter box. Seriously, Naruto, what a perverted mind you have. I have no idea where you get it from." Shaking his head disappointedly, Kakashi pulled out his limited edition _Icha Icha Paradise_ and began giggling madly as his eye skimmed the pages.

"Yeah, I have no idea where I got my perverted mind from," Naruto deadpanned, his eye twitching as his mentor continued to giggle. "Hey! Finish reading your smut later. We have something to discuss."

Sighing and muttering something about 'ungrateful students,' Kakashi reluctantly put his prized book away. "Alright, Naruto. The divine book is gone. How can I help you?"

"I heard you failed another genin team."

"Yeah? I fail one every year. What's your point?"

Naruto sighed.

"I read the report. Their skills seem impressive. I don't see a reason why they should be sent back to the Academy."

"Then you obviously didn't read my comments on their poor group dynamic. They refused to work together, even when presented with impossible odds if they came at me alone. Granted, they wouldn't stand a chance against me anyway, but I'm not one to toot my own horn."

"You still base the whole test on teamwork? How many times have I told you that teamwork comes later, after enduring brutal D-rank missions and chasing that demon cat, Tora?" Naruto shuddered, memories of the bane of Konoha genin still fresh in his mind. "Teach them teamwork. Don't force it on them. We all know how teenagers do the opposite of what adults tell them to do."

"Oh? Such wise words…from a teenager himself," Kakashi replied, his uncovered eye closing into what could be interpreted as a smile. "Only those who are worthy pass my test. You did, and look how well you turned out!" He gestured to Naruto, who was scowling at his mentor. "Chunin by twelve and jounin by thirteen. You could be an ANBU commander if you wanted to, though I don't recommend it. All the woman in ANBU don't take too kindly to enlightened minds such as ourselves."

Naruto frowned.

"You mean perverted minds…"

"Oh, so you don't deny that you are a pervert? I knew Jiraiya-sama and I would get through to you sooner or later. I'm so proud." He wiped a nonexistent tear from his exposed eye. "They grow up so fast…I still remember when you were a cute little genin oblivious to the gifts given to humanity by the gods themselves. I'll have to tell Jiraiya-sama…"

"Quit changing the subject!" Naruto yelled, a blush forming on his face. "Now, I'm here to ask if you will allow me to test these genin myself."

"Test them yourself? My, my…is Naru-chan thinking about getting a genin team?"

"Hey, nobody said anything about a genin team," Naruto said, quick to clarify. "This is a favor for Hokage-sama, who believes you may have been too…unfair in your judgment. He has tasked me with testing their abilities the correct way."

Instead of being offended, Kakashi chuckled good-naturedly and patted his protégé on the shoulder.

"Sounds like you're the man for the job, then. You always were good with the kiddies. Hey, maybe the Sandaime will stop trying to hook me up with a new genin team? After dedicating a year of my life teaching you, I don't think I can handle anymore genin. I'm too old."

"I wasn't that bad."

"You added more than a few grays to my hair."

"Your hair has always been gray."

"That's what you think. It's always been silver. You added some gray to it, and that's just not popular with the ladies, my young protégé. Though, I did use you to score more than a few dates. I would just say I adopted you out of the goodness of my heart and they came flying. Ah, the good old days…"

"Whatever, old man. What can you tell me about them?"

"The genin? Well, their names are Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha, and Kiba Inuzuka. To put it quite frank, they don't get along whatsoever. Sasuke thinks he's better than everybody because of his heritage, and he has a bit of a death wish."

"Death wish? What do you mean?"

"He wants to kill Itachi," Kakashi answered solemnly. "We all know how that would go."

Naruto nodded, digesting the information.

"I couldn't beat Itachi. Maybe in a straight taijutsu fight, but we both know that wouldn't happen. You could probably beat him."

"That's a fifty-fifty chance. It could go either way if we were to duke it out," Naruto admitted. He may have been in a league of his own, but so was Itachi. "Anyway, I wouldn't put it past Sasuke to surpass him. I've seen his stats. His ninjutsu is very impressive for his age. With the right training, Sasuke could eliminate one of our greatest traitors and receive the revenge he so desires."

"That may be true, but getting him there is the problem. He refuses to work with his fellow comrades. Before he can even dream of defeating Itachi, he must learn to accept help from others. Now, Sakura is…fearsomely intelligent. Out of all of them, I believe she has the greatest chance to pass."

"Seriously? That's great praise, coming from you," Naruto pointed out.

Kakashi nodded in agreement.

"True, but I mean it. That girl saw through the test and beseeched her teammates to work together, but they didn't listen. I debated passing her, but we all know the whole team must pass to succeed. She, from what I can tell, has excellent chakra control, but low reserves. It would do her some good to build them up. With her level of control, a boost to her reserves would make her a powerhouse. She would probably excel best with genjutsu and medical ninjutsu training. Now, Kiba has the potential to be a fearsome ninja, but he doesn't branch away from his clan's jutsu. He relies too much on a handful of techniques, and those techniques mostly center on the use of his canine partner. Also, it takes him awhile to build up the chakra needed to perform these techniques. In the heat of battle, this is not beneficial."

"Wow. That's more detailed than the reports."

Kakashi shrugged.

"What can I say? I hate paperwork. Satisfied?"

"More than I thought," Naruto admitted. "Anything else?"

"Hmmm…" Kakashi scratched his chin. "Emphasize teamwork?"

"Will do. Thanks for the advice, Kakashi." Naruto looked at the sun. "I better get going. I need to make a few stops before seeing the Hokage."

"Mission-related?"

"In a manner of speaking. Let's just say I need some…heavy weaponry. See you around." With a nod to his former teacher, Naruto disappeared in a gust of wind, leaving Kakashi alone to his own thoughts.

"I just hope he doesn't do anything stupid. Heavy weaponry…" Sighing, Kakashi pulled out his infamous book. Within seconds, he began giggling. "Oh, Kimi-chan, can't you see Ichika-kun only wants to show you love?"

(Konoha Ninja Armory)

"I'm looking for something that packs more punch than a typical explosive tag."

"About how much punch?"

"Oh, not too much. About a hundred times more."

"Is that all? Trying to bring down the Hokage Monument or something?"

"Call it a backup plan," Naruto replied. "Got anything like that?"

Asuna Misato enjoyed her job at the Armory. She got to handle rare and dangerous weaponry, and experiment with new gadgets from time to time. Her job was to outfit chunin, jounin, and even ANBU agents with the best equipment Konoha had to offer. Need a blade that can slice through hard rock? No problem. Just tell her what length or weight needed. Need a flak jacket that can withstand lightning strikes? No problem. Give her a few days. There was rarely a request she couldn't handle and she prided herself on this fact. However, there was one person, one stubborn, persistent, and reckless person, who never failed to request something outrageous and borderline insane. That person was standing before her.

"Do I have something on hand that could level a small mountain? Sorry, we're fresh out," She replied sarcastically. She didn't know why she even listened to his crazy requests.

"Did you do something with your hair?" Naruto asked, completely out of the blue.

Asuna blushed, her hand going to her recently cut hair.

"I did…I cut it to shoulder-length. Does it…does it look good?" She froze as his hand gently cupped her cheek. Her blush intensified and she found herself captured by two cerulean orbs.

"It looks fantastic. You look so mature, so…beautiful. I think I'm falling in love…"

"I…I…love?" Was it just her, or did the room's temperature rise by a few thousand degrees?

"Do you think you could make that special explosive tag for me? A mind as brilliant and beautiful as yours should have no problem. I'd be very grateful, Asuna-chan."

"I can…I can do that for you, Naruto-kun…"

"Great!" He exclaimed, startlingly her. He placed a quick kiss on her lips and she thought she would faint. "You're the best. See you around, Asuna-chan!" A gentle breeze brushed her hair and he was gone.

It took a few minutes before her blush receded and her breathing stabilized. Her heart was still beating fast. She glared at the spot where he once stood. "Damn him. I fall for it every time. He's lucky he's handsome…" If he wanted a powerful explosive tag, then by Kami she would give him one. _'Well, better get to work.'_

(Hokage's Tower)

"And I've seen irregular border patrols here, here, and….here," Naruto said, pointing toward the western border of the Land of Fire. "A few scouts have been probing the integrity of our own patrols. Suna scouts. They don't wear a headband, but their movements are typical of Suna shinobi. Too stiff, not used to hard soil."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a long puff from his pipe.

"Malicious intent?"

"Probable, but nothing too suspicious. Though it is interesting that our supposed allies are intent on keeping a close eye on our border patrols. We do the same, but that's beside the point."

"Any word from your contact?"

"I received a messenger hawk from him yesterday. The Kazekage has apparently been acting strange lately. Well, stranger than usual. There are rumors that he is not well."

"And your contact can't elaborate further?"

"He's working on it, but the Kazekage is a very private man. He informed that more Intel would be given within the next week."

"Very good, very good…" Hiruzen moved to his desk. "Now, on to other business. I take it you're still interested in Team Seven?"

Naruto nodded, taking a seat near the Hokage's desk.

"I am. Kakashi's info only served to pique my curiosity. I see much potential in this team."

"Really? Then what is your answer?"

"I'll give them a shot. I have my own test in mind for them. If they pass, I will gladly take the position of Team Seven's sensei." The concept sounded so foreign to him. While he had led teams of chunin and jounin in the past, and even a few ANBU units, he had never once led genin. Honestly, the prospect didn't exactly thrill him. While older, more experienced ninja could handle themselves, genin needed guidance and protection. Not only would he be watching his own life, but the lives of three thirteen-year-olds. Would he take the risk? Yes, for he hated seeing such potential go to waste.

"If they pass, do you think you could get them ready for the upcoming Chunin Exams?" Hiruzen enquired.

"Five months? Maybe. Assuming they actually pass. I'll give it my best shot."

"Excellent. I've already sent a few ANBU to inform them. They are to meet you at training ground seven tomorrow at nine. Any questions?"

"Just one…you still have that cute secretary?"

"You're dismissed, Naruto."

"I'll ask another time, then."

(The Next Day, Training Ground Seven, 8:45 am)

"If you screw this up for us again, dog breath, I swear on the honor of the Uchiha I will kill you."

"Me screw up? You nearly barbecued me with that stupid fire jutsu! I would have had those bells if you didn't burn almost half the training grounds!"

"Kakashi was about to knock you out anyway. All I did was speed up the process. If you would have just stayed down, we would be out doing missions already."

"How does getting your sorry ass buried under five feet of dirt better than what I did?"

"Shut your mouth, mutt."

"Make me, emo-boy!"

"Woof!"

"That's right, Akamaru! Let's kick his ass!"

"Bring it on, flea brain!"

"Stop it! Both of you!" Sasuke and Kiba froze in mid-action, their fists nearly colliding with each other's faces. Akamaru was perched atop his master's head, ready to strike the enraged Uchiha. The two young men looked a tad fearfully at their other teammate, a girl with bright pink hair and emerald eyes. She was glaring at them with murderous eyes, terrifying enough that even the great Uchiha was wary to proceed further. "Can't you two get along for five seconds? I thought you learned your lesson yesterday!"

"He started it!" Sasuke and Kiba yelled at the same time, with Akamaru barking in the affirmative.

"I don't care who started it! Honestly, you two act like children." Sakura Haruno was a smart young woman. She had passed all of her classes with excellent marks, losing the top spot in her graduating class to Sasuke, and that was only by half of a percent. She excelled in chakra theory, possessed chakra control unrivalled by her fellow peers, and was above average in taijutsu. Unlike other girls her age, she didn't fawn over the Uchiha, instead concentrating on her studies and extracurricular training. She didn't obsess over fashion or makeup, but she never went out looking unkempt. Sakura trained hard for a successful ninja career. She dreamed of becoming even greater than the legendary Tsunade Senju, and taking the title of the most powerful kunoichi in the world. However, before she could even think about attaining such a title, she needed to officially become a genin. And if her teammates kept bickering, she would be sent back to the Academy. That was a definite no.

"Okay, listen up," She said, getting their attention. "When our new sensei gets here, you both are acting on your best behavior. You two will agree with everything he says. I'm talking about you, Sasuke. No smartass remarks or weird Uchiha grunts. Got it?" Seeing his nod, she turned to Kiba. "And you…no reckless first strikes or rushed plans. Got it?" He nodded as well, hard-pressed to argue with an angry kunoichi. "Good. Now, we stick together. If anyone has ideas, you share them. Any questions?"

"No, Sakura."

"No, _mom_."

"Great. Now, let's sit here nice and quietly. Our new sensei will be here any minute."

"Actually, I've been here for a while." All three genin jumped and spun around to see a man with spiky blond hair and blue eyes sitting atop an old tree stump. He wore the standard jounin flak jacket, with a blue long-sleeve underneath, and blue pants with gray shin guards. His headband bore the symbol of the leaf, framed by a black piece of cloth. Dozens of extra pockets and slots lined his flak jacket, with at least six kunai holsters present on his belt. After dealing with Kakashi, the three genin were expecting someone similar or possibly older. This young man couldn't possibly be older than eighteen, yet his eyes and face told of many years of experience. He waved at them and gave them a dazzling smile. "What's up? My name's Naruto Uzumaki! And you three little squirts must be my genin team!"

"Little?"

"Squirts?!"

"So handsome…"

Sasuke and Kiba turned to their teammate, and were surprised to find their normally calm and collected fellow genin blushing madly as she gazed at their new sensei.

"Handsome, huh?" Naruto grinned. He winked at her, causing her blush to intensify. "And this beautiful young woman right here must be Sakura." Quicker than any genin could see, he left the stump, appearing right in front of a stuttering and incoherent Sakura. He gently lifted her hand up to his mouth and placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles. "Pleased to meet you, Sakura-chan." Unfortunately, this proved to be too much for Sakura, and she promptly fainted.

"Sakura!" Kiba cried out as his teammate fainted, nearly collapsing to the ground if Naruto wouldn't have caught her.

"Oh, dear. Maybe I went too far…" Naruto said lamely, holding an unconscious Sakura in his arms. "Well, team. Why don't we begin introductions after Sakura rejoins us in the land of consciousness?"

"Sure…good idea," Sasuke said, silently asking the divines why he couldn't have a normal sensei.

"Woof!"

"I'm with you, Akamaru. Maybe we should have been nicer to Kakashi."

 **Author's Note: Well, there's the first chapter. I have an idea where this is going, but expect weekly updates. Oh, and if you liked this story, check out my other one,** _ **Crimson Whirlpools**_ **. Main pairing is NarutoxfemKyuubi. Let me know in a review.**


	2. Chapter 2

The Legendary Uzumaki

Chapter 2: Team Seven

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

 **A/N: Thank you all for reviewing! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

It was several minutes later that Sakura awakened. She blinked her eyes slowly, blinded temporarily by the harsh sun hanging overhead. A shadow crept over her, shielding her from the intense rays of the high sun. Confused, Sakura opened her eyes to find the caring and worried eyes of her new sensei staring down at her, concern etched on his handsome features. A blush crept over her cheeks, only growing in intensity as she realized she was currently being held in his arms, her head nuzzled into his chest. She nearly fainted once more as he smiled widely down at her.

"Well, look who's back! And here I thought we'd have to skip today's introductions. Feeling alright, Sakura-chan?" She nodded tentatively, not trusting her voice. "Great! Can you stand on your own?" Sakura wasn't one to go crazy over some handsome guy, but even she was hesitant to nod in affirmation. Being held in his strong arms was simply blissful, and she had to stop herself from sighing in disappointment as he delicately placed her on her feet, right between her two teammates. She ignored their questioning looks, defiantly staring forward with a deep blush dusting her cheeks.

"Did you really…?

"Finish that sentence and even Akamaru won't be able to find you."

Kiba gulped and wisely kept his mouth shut.

"Hn. Pathetic."

"Did you say something, Sasuke?"

Sasuke opened his mouth to repeat his rather insulting remark, but stopped as he heard the cracking of knuckles and felt the vicious glare of an angry kunoichi. Rationalizing with himself that he merely wanted to avoid looking bad in front of their new sensei, Sasuke settled for shaking his head.

"That's what I thought."

"Well, all of you are a very lively bunch!" Naruto yelled excitedly, getting the attention of the three genin. "Why don't we start with introductions?"

"We already did that with Kakashi," said Sasuke, looking thoroughly unenthused with the idea.

"True, but I'm not Kakashi." Naruto pointed at the young Uchiha. "Why don't you go first?"

Sasuke sighed.

"Fine. My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I don't like many things. I hate many things. I don't have any hobbies…" Sasuke started to trail off, certain Naruto wouldn't be interested after so many bland facts, but found the older shinobi listening to every word with rapt attention. "…and my goal…is to revive the Uchiha clan…and to kill a certain person."

Naruto nodded thoughtfully.

"Not bad. A little boring, but we'll work on that. Good to meet ya, Sasuke." The Uchiha nodded hesitantly, shifting his gaze to the ground. Naruto turned to Kiba, who was busy playing with Akamaru's paws. "Your turn, Kiba."

The Inuzuka jumped slightly, before recovering. He sat Akamaru atop his head and faced Naruto.

"My name is Kiba Inuzuka. I like my partner, Akamaru…" The cute little dog woofed happily. "…and practicing my clan's techniques. I hate cats and dog leashes. My hobby is taking care of the animals at our shelter. My goal is to become a great leader of my clan!" Kiba announced loudly, a proud grin on his face. Akamaru woofed excitedly, his emotions in sync with his partner.

Naruto smiled at his student's excitement.

"That's an excellent goal, Kiba. Good to have you on the team. Alright, that leaves you, Sakura-chan." At hearing her name, the young kunoichi blushed once more, shyly averting her gaze from the blonde jounin. Her two teammates looked at her with confusion, not used to seeing their fellow graduate in such a state. Thankfully, Naruto broke the awkwardness. "Well, how about I go first? My name is Naruto Uzumaki! I like training, hanging out with friends, and eating delicious hot ramen! My dislikes are greedy people, liars, and, worst of all…" Thunder struck behind the blonde jounin dramatically, and all three genin leaned forward curiously. "…cold ramen!" The blonde shuddered as the words left his lips and Sakura giggled, with Kiba laughing into his coat and Sasuke smiling slightly. "Evil incarnate…Anyways, my hobbies include gardening and messing with a certain weapons master." On the other side of Konoha, Asuna sneezed, nearly setting off a stack of explosive tags. "And my goal is…to be the best sensei ever!" He finished with a wide grin, giving his potential genin team two thumbs up.

"That's a wonderful goal, Naruto-sensei," Sakura commented, finally regaining her confidence. The pink-haired kunoichi lightly cleared her throat before beginning her introductions. "Right! My name is Sakura Haruno! I like reading, training, and taking walks through the village. My dislikes are bullies, traitors, and cold weather. Hobbies…" Sakura thought for a moment. "…are writing short stories and practicing my chakra control. My goal…is to be the strongest kunoichi in the world! Stronger than even Tsunade-sama!" Sakura yelled, pumping her fist high in the air.

"With that attitude, I'm sure you will, Sakura-chan," said Naruto, causing Sakura to blush and smile shyly. Clapping his hands together, Naruto plopped himself down on the stump and pulled out a small clock. Intrigued, the three genin watched as he pressed several buttons on the digital clock. After a confirmed beep, the blonde jounin showed them the face of the clock, brightly displaying a timer of one hour.

"What is this, sensei?" Kiba asked.

Naruto grinned.

"This…" He gestured to the clock in his hand. "…is how much time all of you have."

"Time for what?"

Brushing his flak jacket, Naruto stood from the stump, placing the digital clock gently on the old hunk of wood. "The exact amount of time the three of you have to defeat me, of course," He said nonchalantly, relishing in their surprised expressions. "What? Did you think it was going to be that easy? It's going to take more than a few introductions to convince me to use my valuable time training you newbies. So…yeah. One hour. Come at me with everything you got."

Silence. The three genin stared at him with disbelief. Go up against a fully trained and powerful jounin? Yeah, that didn't work out quite well with Kakashi. Nonetheless, there was always someone willing to charge blindly against overwhelming odds. To Naruto's genuine surprise, that someone happened to be Sasuke.

"Urg!"

"Woah, you almost had me there, Sasuke! That punch came within a foot of me!" Naruto commented enthusiastically, pinning a poor Sasuke headfirst into the ground, one foot planted firmly on the genin's back and a hand holding the back of his head, keeping his face planted in the rough dirt. Naruto turned his attention to the rest of the group, who were watching him with wide eyes.

"Fast…"

"I didn't even see him move!"

"Come on, team! You're down to…" He looked at the clock. "…fifty-seven minutes! Three minutes of precious time wasted. Attack me. Poor Sasuke's not enjoying the ground any more than you would." To emphasize, Naruto shifted his weight, causing the Uchiha to groan pitifully.

Fumbling slightly, Sakura hastily grabbed a kunai and blindly threw it. To her horror, the kunai flew straight toward their sensei's head. As the kunai got closer, the jounin didn't even move, simply closing his eyes and smiling, much to the mortification of Sakura. Then, just as the kunai was certain to pierce the jounin's right eye, he moved his head down, causing the kunai to bounce harmlessly off the piece of metal secured by his headband. The symbol of Konoha glinted proudly as the sharp weapon embedded itself in the ground, landing right next to the head of a still incapacitated Sasuke.

"Not a bad throw, Sakura, but plenty of kunai have been thrown at me over the years. You'll have to do better than that," He said, a touch of playfulness in his voice. He turned his gaze to a rather solemn-looking Kiba and gave the genin an encouraging smile. "What about you, Kiba-kun? Any ideas?"

Kiba, with Akamaru still perched atop his head, studied the blond jounin for several seconds, his eyes lingering at the subdued Uchiha beneath his feet. Sakura eyed her teammate curiously as the Inuzuka looked ready to attack. "Do you have a plan?" She whispered to him. The Inuzuka nodded. Sakura wanted to sigh in relief. At least someone had a plan. Her hopes were dashed severely as her teammate turned dramatically to the side and ran into the forest, leaving her behind with a powerful jounin and a pinned Sasuke. _'You've got to be kidding me…'_

"Hmmm…probably the best idea so far." Naruto idly commented. "I think you've learned your lesson, Sasuke. Say hi to Kiba for me." Before Sasuke could even reply, the last loyal Uchiha was grabbed by his shirt and thrown into the part of the forest Kiba retreated, screams of terror echoing throughout the area. A few seconds later, a loud crash could be heard, followed by the whimpers of a dog and the yelps of two thoroughly outclassed genin. "Ah, nice to know my aim is still topnotch."

"Ummm…sensei?"

The meek words of a terrified Sakura snapped him out of his revere.

"Yes, Sakura-chan?"

"How can we beat you?" The question generated laughter from the blonde, much to the embarrassment of Sakura.

"You could try bribing me. Have a year's worth of ramen on you?" Sakura shook her head. "Well, your teammates are approximately one hundred meters that way. Regroup and plan accordingly. I'll give you a break this one time. You're lucky I have a soft spot for pretty kunoichi."

Blushing, Sakura nodded and dashed into the forest after her teammates. Naruto watched her go with an appreciative eye, beginning to enjoy this adorable group of genin. Glancing at the clock, which still had fifty minutes left on its timer, the blonde pulled out a scroll on various wind techniques. _'Hmmm…tornado, huh?'_

(Forest)

"Sasuke! Kiba!" Sakura yelled, searching the forest for any sign of her teammates. She remembered Sasuke being thrown in this general direction, but the thick forest made it impossible to be certain. Her eyes lit up as she saw signs of disturbance, with several broken branches and fallen limbs littering the forest floor. Sticking to the area, Sakura searched frantically around the scattered debris, stopping as her eyes landed on a rather pitiful sight. Sakura giggled lightly as she discovered her two teammates unconscious among the wreckage of a collapsed tree. Kiba was face down on the ground, his face buried in cold dirt, with a sleeping Akamaru snuggled into his hood. Sasuke was…well, lying on top of Kiba in a position that didn't exactly look…innocent. Sakura had to stifle her laughter, despite the dismal situation, and kicked a sleeping Sasuke in the shin. "Wake up, Sasuke!"

"Hn…five more minutes…" The Uchiha stirred, unknowingly pushing against Kiba in a provocative manner.

"Sure, no problem. Konoha's a fairly progressive village. No one will judge you for humping Kiba."

"Shu…wait…Gah!" Sasuke violently shoved Kiba away from him, pushing himself along the ground with such a strong sense of urgency that you would think the Uchiha had seen the Shinigami himself. Kiba, still unconscious, merely groaned, burying his face deeper in the cold dirt. Sasuke breathed heavily as he clutched a branch to his chest like a lifeline. He blinked slowly, the world starting to come back to him, and looked up at a smiling and innocent-looking Sakura. "You…you saw nothing, Haruno."

Sakura grinned.

"Whatever you say, emo-boy. Now, wake your boyfriend up. I have a plan."

"I really hate you."

"Somehow, I'm okay with that."

(Training Grounds)

Naruto put down his scroll and eyed the timer. Thirty minutes were left. By his calculations, Sakura should have already found her two teammates, meaning an organized attack wasn't too far away. If he added chakra to his ears, he could make out the sound of near silent footsteps. He was slightly impressed. For genin, they were during an admirable job at masking their approach. Too bad he was a highly trained shinobi with senses near unrivaled in the village. Still, he would humor their attempts, and fought to suppress an excited smile as they stealthily approached.

"Oh, I wonder where my precious little genin have gone. Hmmm…maybe…here!" Quicker than lightning, Naruto spun around and grabbed a shocked Sasuke's leg in mid-kick. Before the Uchiha could even recover, Naruto pulled him to the ground, slamming his body against the hard dirt. Just as Naruto was about to reprimand Sasuke for repeating failed tactics, the blonde was forced to dodge as a dozen shuriken flew towards him. The jounin jumped high in the air, taking a screaming Sasuke with him as he cleared the tree line. _'Not bad. Surprised me for a second.'_

"Taijutsu Ogi: Gatsuga!"

Naruto's eyes widened as a blur vaguely resembling Kiba and Akamaru emerged from the forest. The Inuzuka heir and his partner were approaching at astonishing speeds, spinning together madly as the distance closed between them. Before he could react, Naruto felt a gathering of chakra. Looking down at the poor Uchiha he dragged a hundred meters into the air with him, the blonde watched as Sasuke formed the last hand sign for a jutsu Naruto knew all too well.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" Sasuke took in a deep breath of air, ready to annihilate his crazy sensei with a close quarters fireball. The flames barely escaped his lips before he found himself thrown for the second, unfortunate time that day. It barely registered to the Uchiha that he was heading straight for the onslaught of a spinning Kiba as the jutsu did its job and flames erupted from his mouth.

Five seconds. That's how long before Sasuke crashed into Kiba and Akamaru. In those five seconds, the fireball jutsu became something of a flamethrower, igniting the tops of trees just a few dozen meters below as the Uchiha became a twirling spectacle of fire. When Sasuke crashed into Kiba, the momentum of Kiba's attack did not cease; it was redirected, straight to the burning forest floor. The two genin, and dog, became intertwined in a destructive cyclone of flames, spinning bodies, and unmanly screams loud enough to wake the dead as they disappeared among the burning trees.

Naruto floated down to the ground lightly, scratching his head sheepishly as he surveyed the devastation _. 'Man, Hokage-sama's going to kill me. Those poor trees…'_ He bowed his head in a moment of silence and respect, mourning the loss of such innocent bystanders. _'Peace. Now, where is Sakura?'_

' _Thunk.'_

A kunai, with an explosive tag attached to it, embedded itself in the ground next to him. Naruto sighed, unimpressed by the attempt, and gracefully shifted to the side to avoid the following explosion. The ground shook as the explosion died down, leaving a small crater and some broken metal lying harmlessly on the ground. Soon, however, three more kunai with explosive tags landed near him, causing the blonde to raise an eyebrow as he once again moved to avoid the explosions. The explosive force was stronger than the last attack, attributing to the greater number of explosive tags, but didn't faze Naruto in the slightest. When the next five kunai approached his positon, a bored Naruto automatically jumped away, assuming they possessed explosive tags as well.

He realized his mistake too late. The moment his foot connected with the ground, he became acutely aware that he had stepped on a pressure tag. Time slowed down as he heard the distinctive simmer of an explosive tag igniting, and couldn't suppress a grin as the explosion engulfed his body. _'Clever, Sakura.'_

(Forest)

A good distance away, Sakura sighed in relief as she watched her sensei disappear in the explosion. She knew there was no way a simple explosion could bring him down, but at the very least it must have injured him, hopefully enough to turn the tide of the battle. Kiba and Sasuke distracted the jounin perfectly, allowing her enough time to carefully examine every possible route of escape her sensei would use to avoid incoming explosive kunai. It took careful aiming, and six carefully hidden pressure tags to ensure a successful hit, but the results were worth it. She just hoped her two teammates were in good enough shape to mount another offensive.

"Let's see. I still have five kunai left. Should be enough for one more trap."

"Better make them count. Kunai don't grow on trees, ya know." Sakura froze. Fearfully, she turned around, jumping as she came face-to-face with a grinning Naruto. Even with her heart nearly beating out of her chest, Sakura noted depressingly that the blonde didn't even have a scratch on him. "Good try, but not enough. Got anything else?"

"Ummm…how much ramen did you say you wanted?" She asked nervously.

Naruto laughed.

"More than a genin can afford. I gave you a pass last time, but Sasuke and Kiba are going to be a tad bit upset if you come out of this unscathed. That would be blatant favoritism. Now, this isn't sexual harassment."

"What are yo-"

"Thousand Years of Death!"

(Other Side of Training Grounds, burning Forest Floor)

Sasuke Uchiha prided himself on his strength and abilities. He was the top of his class, unmatched by any of his fellow graduates. He was an Uchiha, one of the strongest clans to have ever existed. Granted, there wasn't much of a clan left, but the blood of the Uchiha still ran strong. Sasuke lived for two reasons: to kill his treacherous older brother and to revive his clan. As he lay in a small crater surrounded by burning shrubbery and descending embers, his goals seemed so far away and unobtainable.

He was thirteen. At this age, his brother was powerful enough to become captain of the ANBU. At this age, his brother was powerful enough to…eradicate the Uchiha clan. What could he do? A few katon jutsu and some advanced taijutsu moves. That was it. He didn't even have the Sharingan yet, something his brother had already mastered at the same age. What was he doing with his life? If he couldn't even fight this jounin, how could he possibly defeat Itachi? Sasuke wasn't a fool. Nothing short of a kage-level shinobi could even hope to go toe-to-toe with his older brother. Sasuke was, at best, at upper genin rank in terms of power and abilities. How could he get better? He trained and trained, but that didn't seem to make a difference.

His eyes burned. He touched them with his uninjured hand. Tears? Was this what he was reduced to? Crying on the battlefield? The Uchiha heir shook with unrestrained anger. He was not weak! He was an Uchiha! He wouldn't be humiliated by this jounin. He would become a genin, do the stupid missions, and rise through the ranks! Itachi will cower beneath his strength!

With renewed determination, Sasuke ignored his bruised muscles and singed skin, pushing himself out of the crater with strength he didn't know he possessed. The forest all around him was in flames, but he didn't care. He wanted nothing more than to kick their new sensei's ass and wipe that smug grin off his face. He would show him just what an "adorable" genin could do.

"Argh!"

The screams of the only female on Team Seven echoed throughout the forest, garnering Sasuke's attention. He looked toward the clearing. The screams came from there, so that was a good indicator the jounin was close by. A small part of him was suggesting finding wherever the hell Kiba ended up and enlisting his help in defeating the strong jounin, but his pride refused to ask others for help. It didn't exactly work out the last time when Sakura proposed a plan involving teamwork, so why would it work this time? With something vaguely resembling a plan, singed hair, and possibly a broken arm, the Uchiha charged.

(Training Grounds)

Kiba had seen better days. Falling to the ground from a hundred meters high while being toasted by an emo Uchiha had certainly taken a toll on him. His jacket had burned up upon impact, his mesh undershirt the only thing covering his torso. Amazingly, he had broken no bones, but the large bruises dotting his back and the burns along his arms hurt. The position he was in definitely was not good for his injuries, considering thick ropes held him tightly against an old stump. Try as he might, the ropes would not give. He was stuck there, divested of all weapons, humiliated as his sensei continued to read some sort of scroll.

"Why am I the one tied up?"

Naruto glanced up from his scroll and gave the Inuzuka a shrug.

"After sending Sakura to the stratosphere, you were the closest one nearby. Plus, you're good company. It gets boring waiting here while your teammates plot against me,' said the blonde, turning back to his scroll. "They still got about ten minutes left."

"So in ten minutes, you'll let me go?"

"Hmmm…you say something?"

Kiba sighed.

"I'm doomed."

"Woof!"

"Shut up, you traitor!" Kiba yelled, his eyes staring at the betraying scene. Akamaru was currently situated in the jounin's lap, being petted by the blonde's free hand while idly chewing on a bone said blonde had given him. The little dog's tail was wagging happily as he enjoyed the lavish attention, oblivious to his owner's predicament. "After all we've been through, sold out for a few treats. My life sucks."

"Aw, cheer up, Kiba!" The blonde said good-naturedly, giving the genin a bright smile. "Things are about to get interesting! Sasuke should be here in three…two…one…and…"

"Uzumaki!"

"See? Right on time!"

Sasuke burst from the bushes nearby, screaming madly as he charged straight for the blonde. Kiba watched with disbelieving eyes as their sensei gently placed a now startled Akamaru next to him and calmly turned toward the raging Uchiha. Naruto's eyes never left his scroll as Sasuke aimed a kick for his head. Naruto easily dodged it, jumping back a few meters as the onslaught of punches and kicks began.

Not surprisingly, Naruto dodged every single one. If Sasuke felt disparaged by this, he didn't show it. His face was scrunched up in anger and concentration, his eyes blazing red as he continued to attack the disinterested jounin. Wait, red eyes? Kiba looked closer. Red eyes with a tomoe circling each pupil. Kiba sighed once more. Great. If the Uchiha's ego wasn't already big enough, now he had the Sharingan. Granted, it wasn't doing him much good, if how easily the blonde was dodging every single punch and kick was any indication.

"Why can't I hit you!?" The Uchiha roared, his movements getting slower and slower as he began to tire out. To his consternation, the jounin merely grinned, his eyes never leaving the scroll. Frustrated, Sasuke switched to a different method of attack. He pulled back, placing a good distance between himself and the jounin. Though his right arm was injured, he managed to fumble through a few hand signs. "Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu!" A dozen embers, tiny compared to his previous Katon jutsu, shot toward Naruto, each spreading out in a pattern that nearly covered the entire field. Sasuke grinned. There was no way the jounin could avoid all of them.

What happened next shocked both Kiba and Sasuke. With a simple downward movement of his arm, the blonde deflected four embers coming his way. The embers crashed to the ground, exploding harmlessly before dissipating, leaving only a few blades of burnt grass and some disturbed earth in their wake. Moments later, Sasuke encountered a powerful gust of wind that nearly brought him to his knees. As he struggled to maintain his balance, the Uchiha's eyes bulged as a fist made contact with his stomach. Sasuke fought down the urge to vomit as a kick to his back brought him to the ground, shattering whatever fight he had left in him.

Sasuke lifted his head and glared at the jounin smiling down at him. His Sharingan eyes spun madly as he struggled to move his limbs, his body refusing to listen to his commands. If he could just form the hand signs for one more Katon jutsu, he could wipe that smile off his face. If he could just…

"That's enough, kid. You've done well enough." Sasuke felt a hand lightly ruffle his singed hair. The Uchiha growled at the offending hand, but the jounin merely chuckled at the genin's defiance. "Get some rest." The Uchiha looked ready to argue, but a quick finger jab to his temple caused his eyes to roll back in his skull. Within seconds, Sasuke was snoozing peacefully.

"You didn't kill him, did you?" Kiba asked a tad fearfully.

"Nah, just put him to sleep. He's definitely going to be sore when he wakes up." Producing a pillow from Kami knows where, the jounin gently placed it under Sasuke's head. "At least he'll be a little comfy while he sleeps. Never let it be said I'm without mercy."

"Speaking of mercy, can you untie from this stump, now?"

"Could you repeat that? I didn't quite hear you. You really need to stop mumbling, Kiba. It's not a good habit." Spinning around faster than Kiba could even see, Naruto caught a fist aimed for his face. "Oh, looks like Sakura decided to join us! Almost got me."

The moment Kiba's eyes landed on his female teammate, he grimaced. With her pink hair sticking out in every direction and a glare that could scare even the Hokage, Sakura looked like a mini-Shinigami, her green eyes filled with rage. The pink-haired kunoichi looked ready to kill their sensei, a kunai held in one hand and the other clenched in a fist. "You…you…you bastard!" She charged forward, aiming a slash for their sensei's throat. Kiba looked mortified, Sakura looked mad as hell, Sasuke looked…well, asleep, and Naruto looked amused.

"Woah! Careful there, Sakura! If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to kill me!"

"You're a dead man after what you did! What jounin does that?!" Far across Konoha, a silver-haired jounin sneezed. "Fingers don't belong there!" She roared as she made another attempt to slash at him with her kunai.

Naruto easily dodged and grinned at her.

"Hey, some girls are into that sort of thing. There was this one time…" He barely avoided a stab aimed for his manhood and wisely decided to leave that particular sentence incomplete.

"I'm going to kill you!"

"Bite through these ropes, Akamaru! Sakura's going on a killing spree!"

"Woof!"

"What do you mean 'no'? Wait…don't run away!"

"Zzzz…"

"Sasuke! Sasuke, wake up! I'm sorry for all those times I called you a prick! Help me!"

"…Zzzz…"

"I hate my life!"

"Stop dodging and let me kill you, sensei!"

 _Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!_

And just like that, the chaotic scene ceased. Sakura stopped trying to castrate her sensei, her green eyes staring disbelievingly at the small digital clock emitting loud sounds. Kiba no longer struggled against his bonds, watching depressingly as the clock announced the end of their allotted time. Sasuke stirred in his sleep, burying his head further into the pillow as he enjoyed the land of dreams. Naruto, who had been busy dodging Sakura's attempts of vengeance, frowned and walked over to the beeping device. With the simple push of a button, the loud noise stopped, ushering the end of Team Seven's evaluation. Pocketing the clock, Naruto turned to the worn-out genin of Team Seven, taking in their forlorn expressions.

"Well, as much fun as this has been, one hour has passed. And none of you have even come close to defeating me, though not due to lack of trying," He said, shaking his head lightly as a smile graced his face. "Using kunai and explosives as a diversion to surprise me with a pressure tag? Brilliant work, Sakura-chan."

Sakura blushed, lowering her kunai.

"Uhhh…thanks, sensei."

"And Kiba," Kiba jumped slightly, as much as his bonds would allow. "great performance of one of your clan's prized techniques. It needs a little work, but with time I can see you truly becoming a master. You and Akamaru will make a great team."

"Thank you, sensei." Kiba said, a proud smile plastered on his face despite being tied to a stump. "I owe a lot to my sister. She's been teaching me for the last few months."

"Ah, Hana-chan. A very strong kunoichi. How is she?"

"She's doing well. I think she just got promoted to…Wait, how do you know my sister?"

"Um…moving on!" Kiba and Sakura swore they saw a small blush on their sensei's face. "Sasuke also did a good job, and I'll make sure to tell him that once he wakes up. I expected him to know a few katon jutsu, but to awaken the Sharingan? I'm impressed. It only took throwing him a few times, but still impressive nonetheless."

"You were trying to awaken his Sharingan, sensei?" Sakura asked.

"Of course! What, you think I like beating the crap out of outclassed genin?" The dry looks they gave him answered his question, and he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, maybe a little. You'll understand one day when you make jounin."

"So we passed?" Kiba asked hopefully.

"Define 'pass.' The objective was to defeat me, an objective all of you clearly failed to accomplish. Technically, you all failed and I should send you back to the Academy."

"But you're a jounin! There was no way we could defeat you!" Sakura protested. "We're just genin. You're a trained jounin. We were doomed from the start!"

Naruto nodded thoughtfully, taking in her words.

"You have a point. Genin don't stand a chance against a jounin. Maybe the test was too hard. Maybe it wasn't meant to see if you could defeat me. Maybe it was meant to test all three of you, to see if you had what it takes to enter this cruel and dangerous world. And, just quite possibly, it was meant to test your reactions in the face of an insurmountable and impossible task." With speed the Yondaime would be envious of, Naruto cut through the ropes keeping Kiba pinned to the stump with a kunai, causing the Inuzuka to jump as the sharpened metal freed him. "The world isn't like the Academy. There aren't any redoes. Your opponent won't stop if you simply say 'I yield'. You have to fight. If you don't fight, you die. If you die, you just become another name etched on a piece of granite. How useful does that sound?"

The genin were silent, save for a few snores emanating from the sleeping Uchiha.

"Sasuke knows this better than most. To watch your entire clan killed in front of you…I cannot imagine the pain and anguish. The next time you two judge his antisocial tendencies, know that watching your own mother and father get slaughtered by your older brother will do that to you." Sakura and Kiba grimaced, glancing at their teammate with a mixture of sympathy and sadness. "That isn't to say you should treat him like glass. Just be a bit open minded. He's your teammate, and teammates are like family. When a member of your family needs a hand, you offer one. You never abandon your family. Is that clear?"

"Hai, sensei!" The two genin yelled in unison.

"Good! Now, in regards to your status as fully fledged members of Team Seven…" Sakura and Kiba leaned forward expectantly, eagerness written on their faces. Naruto smiled at them and gave them a thumbs up. "…welcome to the team! I hereby officially certify all three of you as genin."

"YES! We did it!" Sakura yelled happily, jumping into the air.

"Wa-hoo! Thank Kami!" Kiba added, doing an impromptu backflip, ignoring his injuries.

"Woof!"

"There you are, traitor! I can't believe you…Aw, I'm too happy to be mad at you! We did it, Akamaru!" He grabbed the cute dog and held him close. Akamaru licked his face, just as excited as his partner.

"And to celebrate, I'm taking all of you out for a nice lunch!" Naruto added, and nearly fell over as a pink blur crashed into his torso. He looked down to see a smiling Sakura staring up at him with shining eyes, her arms wrapped tightly around him.

"You're the best, Naruto-sensei!" She yelled, burying her face into his chest.

Naruto smiled down at her and gently patted her head.

"'Naruto-sensei', huh? I could get used to that. I'm beginning to like this team." A minute nearly passed and Sakura was still pressed against him. "Sakura-chan, as much as I don't mind a cute girl hugging me, we really need to get going. I'm sure all of you are starving." As if answering to the promise of food, Sakura's stomach growled, causing the pink-haired kunoichi to blush. Reluctantly, Sakura released her hold on him, looking down at the ground shyly. "Right! Let's head out, team!"

"Hai, sensei!"

"Wait, what about Sasuke?"

Naruto blinked, having completely forgotten about the sleeping genin. He quickly picked up Sasuke and casually slung him over his shoulder.

"We'll take him with us. Don't worry. The smell of delicious ramen will wake him up in no time! Follow me, Team Seven!"

(Hokage Tower)

"Well, that certainly went better than expected." Hiruzen commented, looking at the image provided by his crystal ball. With a wave of his hand, the image of Team Seven celebrating ceased, leaving behind the reflective shine of the crystal ball. Hiruzen turned to his two former teammates, now his advisors, and regarded them with intrigue. "You both think differently?"

"With all due respect, Hiruzen, I hardly think Uzumaki-san is capable of handling a team. He is…too wild."

"I agree with Koharu. Uzumaki-san is too young to be in charge of a team. Also, there is the concern about his…tenant. If he were to ever lose control…"

"As he ever?" Hiruzen asked, a touch of sharpness in his tone.

"No, he hasn't." Homura conceded. "But that isn't the point. Throwing the Uchiha in the mix brings an element of risk. Them and those cursed eyes..."

"Must we bring this up again, Homura? Sasuke Uchiha is not an enemy of this village. He is a boy…a boy we have wronged so terribly. I will not hear any more of this. I already have to deal with Danzo and his paranoia. I will not have it."

"Ignoring the Uchiha's loyalties, what of Uzumaki-san? He is one of our most powerful shinobi. Should we really waste his time training three genin? He completes an average of nine missions a month, four more than the a typical jounin under our command. Is it wise to use such a valuable asset training three genin?"

Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe.

"If Naruto is such a valuable shinobi, then how is he incapable of teaching mere genin? You seemed to be insinuating that Naruto didn't possess the experience or maturity to lead such a team, yet you praise him for his mission completion rate, missions that sometimes rely on his leadership. Tell me, Koharu, how does that make sense?"

Koharu stayed silent.

"The decision ultimately rests with me, and I see no reason why Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Kiba Inuzuka should not be under the guidance of Naruto Uzumaki. My decision is final. Team Seven is now officially instated, with Naruto Uzumaki as its jounin sensei. Any further questions?" His longtime friends shook their heads, heeding the wisdom of his words. "Good. Now, on to other matters. Jiraiya has recently brought to my attention a group of nuke-nin known as Akatsuki…"

(Konoha Market District, Ichiraku's)

"Here's your ramen, Naruto-kun! Eat up!"

"Thanks, Ayame-chan! Eat up, everyone!" Naruto yelled happily, slurping up some noodles.

"But Sasuke's still asleep, sensei!" Sakura said, glancing at Sasuke's sleeping form. He had been propped up against one of the stools, his head lying atop the counter. Light snores could be heard coming from the Uchiha, his hair reminiscent of a duck's behind as continued to sleep peacefully.

Naruto frowned, slurping up a few more noodles.

"That won't do. Hand me another bowl of ramen, Ayame-chan." Almost instantly, another bowl was placed in front of the blonde. He grabbed the bowl with one hand and lifted Sasuke's head with the other. Naruto placed the bowl of steaming ramen just underneath the Uchiha's nose. Quickly, Sasuke's eyes shot open and the sound of a growling stomach graced their ears.

"Wah? Wh…where am I?"

"At Ichiraku's, Sasuke! The best ramen stand in town! Here, dig in!" Naruto shoved a bowl of ramen into the hands of a thoroughly confused Sasuke before returning to his own bowl.

"Ramen? I don't understand…"

Kiba sighed dramatically, placing his delicious bowl of ramen down on the table.

"Long story short, we passed his test. Now, eat your ramen before it gets cold, emo prick."

"We passed? How?"

"Because we're awesome," Sakura elaborated, enjoying her bowl of noodles. "If you're not going to finish your ramen, Sasuke, then I'll gladly take it from you."

Confused, but still very much starving, the Uchiha shrugged his shoulders and dug into his ramen, relishing the tasty noodles as his stomach growled in approval. Within minutes, he finished his bowl, but his stomach still yearned for more. Just as he was about to ask for another bowl, a fresh one was placed right in front of him, still steaming hot from the stove. Grateful, he glanced up at the person who brought him the bowl and blushed as his eyes landed on one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen.

"I hope you enjoy, genin-san!" The beautiful woman smiled warmly at him, causing his blush to intensify.

"I…thank you, uh…"

"Oh, my name's Ayame! Pleased to meet you! It's so awesome to see Naruto-kun with his new genin team. You're Sasuke, correct?" He nodded dumbly, still entranced by her beauty. "Then nice to meet you, Sasuke-kun!"

"Nice to meet you, too…Ayame…" He froze as she grabbed one of his cheeks, pinching it lightly as she giggled.

"You're so adorable! Oh, you're going to be so handsome when you get older! Save me a date, okay?" She winked at him, and the poor Uchiha looked ready to faint.

"Teasing one of my genin, Ayame-chan? That's my job." Naruto said jokingly, a smile on his face.

"Sorry, Naruto-kun. Just having a little fun with Sasuke-kun. He's such a cutie!" She said, ruffling the Uchiha's hair playfully. "You're going to grow up to be a playboy just like your sensei, eh, Sasuke-kun?"

"Hey! I'll have you know that I'm just a man with a healthy respect for the opposite gender."

Ayame rolled her eyes, walking back to the kitchen. "Whatever you say, Naruto-kun. We'll have more ramen ready in just a few minutes."

"Thanks, Ayame-chan!" Naruto turned to his blushing student, a wide grin on his face. "Looks like someone has a crush! Way to pick em, Sasuke!"

"Someone kill me," Sasuke muttered.

"I can give you some pointers, Sasuke. Kiba, pay attention as well! As of today, all of you are under my wing, so it is my duty as your sensei to teach you everything I know! Now, Sasuke, Kiba, the trick to a woman's heart is…" He stopped as a kunai embedded in the soft seat of the stool he was sitting on, right between his legs. He gulped as he realized the kunai landed a little too close for comfort near his manhood, and glanced to his right to see Sakura glaring at him dangerously. "Uh, perhaps another time…"

Sakura gave him one last glare and returned to her ramen.

"Sensei is a pervert."

 **A/N: And there is chapter two! It's a bit longer than the first, so I hope you enjoyed! Leave a review and thanks for reading!**


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